The nation's top swimming officials said Wednesday any talks on reinstating suspended Olympic champ Park Tae-hwan should be preceded by an apology from the swimmer and self-reflection.

Lee Kee-heung, head of the Korea Swimming Federation, returned home from Switzerland after attending a doping hearing by FINA, the international swimming governing body, on Park's positive drug test. FINA slapped Park, a four-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champ in freestyle, with an 18-month suspension, starting retroactively on Sept. 3, 2014, when FINA collected Park's urine samples.

\The suspension is to end in March 2016, which theoretically gives Park time to prepare for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro five months later.

However, a rule instituted by the Korean Olympic Committee last summer could prevent Park from entering his fourth Summer Games.

The rule states that athletes who have received a drug-related suspension of any length are ineligible to represent the country for three years, starting at the end of the suspension. In Park's case, he'd be barred from the national team until March 2019.

The rule has been in place for less than a year but it has fueled debate over a potential double punishment of athletes for the same crime.

While critics of the rule say Park deserves a chance for redemption because of his contribution to the sport -- he's the first and only Olympic swimming medalist from South Korea -- others says he shouldn't receive any special treatment.

Lee, who is also a vice president of the KOC, tiptoed around the issue on Wednesday.

"There will be opportunities to discuss this rule," he said.

"But first and foremost, Park Tae-hwan should apologize to the people that he's let down and plead for their forgiveness, and take time to reflect on himself."

Park arrived back home separately Tuesday night, and issued a brief apology through his agency, Team GMP.

Lee said Park will soon have a chance to speak publicly about the issue.

Park will be stripped of all medals earned on or after Sept. 3.

Competing at an arena bearing his own name, Park won one silver and five bronze medals at last year's Incheon Asian Games, which took place after the samples were collected. Three of his bronze medals came in relay events, and Park's teammates in those races will also lose their medals with Park's suspension. (Yonhap)